Shows
Burnt Hands PerspectiveEdibles Are Safer Than Oreos? Behind the Scenes of Cannabis TestingSend us a textWhat makes cannabis edibles safer than Oreos? (Yes, sadly, this exposes the dirty side of the FDA and our food that we eat every day, so even if you are not a "weed" person, this is an eye-opening episode on food testing!) This question launches our eye-opening journey through the scientific wonderland of DigiPath Labs in Las Vegas, where we discover the insane testing and regulations behind legal cannabis products.Chef Dee (AKA: The Happy Chef) and Todd Denkin (DigiPath Labs CEO) talk about their decade-long partnership that helped launch Nevada's...2025-07-2537 min
Burnt Hands PerspectiveThe Reality of Opening a Restaurant from YouTube Fame: Mr. Make It Happen is back!Send us a textEver wondered what happens when social media stardom collides with the gritty reality of restaurant ownership? This episode pulls back the curtain on that journey as we welcome back Mr. Make It Happen, Matt Price, who shares the raw, unfiltered truth about opening his hot new DC restaurant, FRAICHE.After building a 4 million+ following online Mr. Make It Happen really did make it happen by opening a brick and mortar restaurant in DC. We talked about this in our first episode with Matt in season one of the show (go back...2025-07-0444 min
Burnt Hands PerspectiveBreaking Rules in the Kitchen: Chef Stephen Coe's Uncensored Ride from Food Trucks To Beat Bobby FlaySend us a textChef Stephen Coe is a nationally recognized and award-winning chef, best known for his victory against celebrity chef Bobby Flay in “Chopped: Beat Bobby Flay” on the Food Network. Whether in the kitchen or one of his many food trucks, Chef Coe is known for his culinary creativity and ability to compete at any stage against any competition.Chef Coe’s other notable accomplishments include his “Chopped: Ultimate Redemption” win in 2019, winning the Grand Prize in the Food Network’s “Tyler Florence Recipe Contest” and the American Culinary Foundation’s “Boston Junior Chef of the Y...2025-07-0119 min
Burnt Hands PerspectiveEp 43: Greek Roots and Restaurant Realities - From Souvlaki to Restaurant OwnershipSend us a textRestaurant owners unite! We are going Greek! We sat down with the owners of Brick House Diner to explore the deep connection between food, heritage, and the challenges of preserving authentic Greek cuisine in America. The episode brings together our longtime friends with Greek restaurant backgrounds to discuss how their cultural food traditions have shaped their lives and businesses.We touched on so many topics in this episode:• Greek cuisine offers flavors similar yet distinct from Italian, with regional variations throughout Greece• Authentic Greek ingredients create drama...2025-06-2733 min
Burnt Hands PerspectiveBONUS: Behind the Bar: Mastering the Art of Flair Bartending with 22-Year VeteranSend us a textStep behind the bar and into the captivating world of flair bartending with veteran mixologist Vache in this special edition "shift drink" episode recorded live at the World Food Championship with KC. While culinary competitions often steal the spotlight, we turn our attention to the equally impressive art of performance bartending. Vache, a 22-year veteran who works at Circa Las Vegas, shares his journey from bartending novice to flair expert. What began with a fortuitous meeting with Francesco, one of the World Mixology Championships organizers, blossomed into decades of bottle-flipping expertise.2025-06-2410 minBurnt Hands PerspectiveEp 42: From Farm to Table: The Truth About Quality Meat, Pricing, Labels, and Sustainable PracticesSend us a text"The quality of your meat matters more than you think," declares host Chef Tony as he welcomes his longtime friend and meat expert, John, to the Burnt Hands Perspective. Their passionate conversation cuts through marketing hype to reveal uncomfortable truths about what's really on your plate.John brings decades of culinary and industry expertise to this meaty discussion. Having started as a dishwasher at 13, he worked his way through kitchens before transitioning to the sales side, where he now represents premium Australian and New Zealand lamb and beef. This unique perspective—co...2025-06-2033 min
Burnt Hands PerspectiveBONUS EP: The Humane Side of Pork Production: From Farm to Fork with Indiana FarmersSend us a textHave you ever wondered what single animal would be your desert island food choice for survival? For our host, Chef Antonio, it's the pig—hands down. The remarkable versatility of pork and its countless preparation methods make it the ultimate survival protein, and this episode dives deep into why.We're joined by the President of the Indiana Pork Producers, who offers a fascinating glimpse into modern pig farming. With 3,000 family farms across Indiana, the state plays a significant role in America's pork industry, even sending one in every four US-raised pigs to...2025-06-1608 min
Burnt Hands PerspectiveEp 41: The Birth of Luce Norfolk: How a Lawyer and a Hells Angel built an amazing restaurantSend us a textWhat happens when a Hells Angel chef teams up with a lawyer who loves food? In this captivating conversation, Chef Tony and Mike Imprevento reveal the remarkable origin story of Luce Norfolk and how an unexpected partnership created a culinary landmark.Their journey begins with "Fat Fuck Sundays" at the Hells Angels clubhouse, where Tony's cooking talents caught Mike's attention. Despite the challenges of opening a restaurant - especially with a Hells Angel as a chef - Mike recognized Tony's extraordinary culinary skills and unwavering determination. "Failure is not an option,"...2025-06-1345 min
Burnt Hands PerspectiveBONUS EP: Inside the ACF - Kitchen Credentials Matter and How to Become a Ceritfied ChefSend us a textWhat does it truly mean to be a professional chef in today's culinary landscape? Beyond the kitchen heroics and artistic plating lies a world of standardization, certification, and continuous education that many working chefs never explore.In this revealing conversation with representatives from the American Culinary Federation (ACF), we dive deep into the often-overlooked realm of professional culinary certification. Since 1929, the ACF has worked to elevate cooking from a trade to a respected profession, creating pathways for recognition that honor both formal education and hard-earned experience in the trenches of professional...2025-06-0931 min
Burnt Hands PerspectiveEp 40: From Navy SEAL to Ice Cream Entrepreneur - How to build a food brand that sellsSend us a textWhen Navy SEAL Chris Fettes packed an ice cream maker into his cruise box and churned frozen desserts with camel's milk in the deserts of Iraq, little did he know he was laying the foundation for his post-military career. This extraordinary journey from special operations warrior to gourmet ice cream craftsman reveals the unexpected ways passion can transform into purpose.Chris shares with raw honesty how he navigated the challenging transition from military service to entrepreneurship, addressing the psychological shift from team-based validation to self-validation required for business success. "If you're...2025-06-0655 minBurnt Hands PerspectiveEP 39: Money Talks: The Hard Truth About Restaurant Pay - Are you worth what you're asking for?Send us a textSo what should you expect going into the kitchen? Chef Tony and KC get real on what the current pay scale is and how that has changed over the decades in the business. If you are a new chef, line cook, dishwasher...listen up! The harsh realities of restaurant economics create a ceiling on staff compensation, described as "squeezing water from a rock," with limits on what businesses can reasonably pay. Regional variations, experience levels, position types, and restaurant categories all significantly impact earning potential in the industry. Plus, the current m...2025-05-3020 minBurnt Hands PerspectiveWhat Makes A Chef: The Business Behind the Kitchen w/ Chef Brian Duffy - Restaurant Consulting and SuccessSend us a textWhat truly separates a cook from a chef? According to industry veteran and acclaimed Chef Brian Duffy, it's far more than culinary skill—it's understanding the business of restaurants from the ground up.Chef Duffy took time to talk with us in Las Vegas about his remarkable journey from culinary school graduate to opening restaurants and building a diverse empire of food-related businesses. With ownership stakes in everything from a German spice company to a multimedia firm with over 100 billion content views, Duffy represents the real grit of the multifaceted modern cu...2025-05-2312 minBurnt Hands PerspectiveEp 37 - Finding Creative Ideas: From Chef's Motorcycle Life to Travel, and being inspired in the shower...Send us a textCreativity is the lifeblood of any culinary or industry professional, but where does that spark come from when you've been in the game for decades? This episode goes into the creative process that drives exceptional cooking and creative ideas. Chef Tony reveals that his best culinary inspiration comes from two unexpected places: the shower and motorcycle rides. While the shower provides calm and clarity, motorcycle riding engages all senses simultaneously—the smell of everything from ocean breezes to cornfields, the visual stimulation of changing landscapes, and the heightened awareness that comes fro...2025-05-1625 minBurnt Hands PerspectiveEP 36 - From Bobby Flay and James Beard to Aloha Snacks: Chef Jesse's Culinary Journey in Virginia BeachSend us a textWhat happens when a classically trained fine dining chef decides to trade white tablecloths for paper plates and still serve some of the best food in Virginia Beach? Meet Chef Jesse Wykle, the culinary mastermind behind Aloha Snacks and a true Hampton Roads legend who once took down Bobby Flay on national television with his signature lumpia.We got the real dirt about food television competitions, where Jesse shares the surreal experience of competing against Bobby at 4 AM after a night of drinking with his wife in New York City. This...2025-05-1040 min
Burnt Hands PerspectiveBONUS SERIES: WFC - Meat So Horny: How a FinTech Exec Created BBQ's "Spiciest" Brand and Built a BusinessSend us a textBobby, founder of Meat So Horny (MSH), shares his journey from running a fintech company to creating a provocative barbecue seasoning brand that's known for both its bold marketing and quality products.• Started the company after persistent encouragement from a friend, choosing the name "Meat So Horny" after listening to Two Live Crew in the car• Initially wore a mask to hide his identity since he was running a multi-billion dollar fintech company• Faced opposition from the barbecue community at first but won people over with product quality• Creative...2025-05-0524 minBurnt Hands PerspectiveEp 35 - The Hidden Costs of Chef Life - Fame, Fantasy, and Reality: What it take to make it in the kitchenSend us a textIn this episode Chef Tony and KC candidly discuss the harsh realities of becoming a chef and the misconceptions many have about achieving culinary "stardom."• The dilution of the title "chef" – from certified professional to anyone who cooks commercially• Celebrity chef culture has created unrealistic expectations about culinary careers and success• Social media presence doesn't translate to actual restaurant success – "butts in seats" is what matters• Most chefs will never achieve Michelin recognition but can still be excellent at their craft• Local recognition systems and customer loyalty are undervalue...2025-05-0219 min
Burnt Hands PerspectiveBONUS SERIES - WFC - Little Gringa, Big Flavor: Meet 13-year-old MasterChef Champion who is smoking the competitionSend us a textAnother special guest from World Food Champtionships in Indianapolis joins the show! Meet 13-year-old Raelyn Barker, the champion of MasterChef Junior Hope forthe Holidays and holder of the only Snow Globe MasterChef trophy in existence. This young culinary prodigy shares her journey from cooking at home at age five to sweeping barbecue competitions and starring alongside Gordon Ramsay on television.• Started cooking at age five and began competing at six years old• Won MasterChef Junior Hope for the Holidays working with Gordon Ramsay• Recently became Grand Champion at World Junior...2025-04-2822 min
Burnt Hands PerspectiveEp 34 - A Culinary Critic's Journey Through 30 Years of Food Writing - The evolution of food writersSend us a textEver wondered what it's really like to be a professional food critic? Lifting the veil on three decades of culinary journalism, this episode features an awesome conversation with Jolene Ketzenberger, Indianapolis's preeminent food writer whose career spans the transformation from traditional print reviews to today's digital landscape.Ketzenberger takes us behind the scenes of old-school restaurant criticism—where critics visited establishments multiple times under pseudonyms, tested restroom cleanliness with strategically placed paperclips, and scrutinized every aspect of the dining experience. Her stories reveal how thoroughly critics once evaluated restaurants before social me...2025-04-2524 min
Burnt Hands PerspectiveEp 33 - Your Hobby Is Not A Business: Hard Truths About Serving The Food Industry - The Reality of VendorsSend us a textThe brutal reality of restaurant industry demands and the challenges faced by small artisan vendors trying to break into the market create a perfect storm of failed businesses and frustrated chefs.• Micro vendors like microgreen farmers, artisan bakers, and hot sauce makers often start with passion but lack business acumen• Small food businesses frequently underestimate the relentless schedule and consistency demanded by restaurants• Chefs operate in an "I need it now" mentality because their business demands immediate solutions• Most small artisan vendors don't survive beyond 1-2 years due to burno...2025-04-1826 minBurnt Hands PerspectiveEp 32 - From London to Virginia Beach: Chef Alvin's Culinary Journey and Owning A RestaurantSend us a textChef Alvin Williams shares his journey from classically-trained chef in England to celebrating 25 years at Cobalt Grille in Virginia Beach. We explore the evolution of restaurants, kitchen culture, and the fundamental differences between European and American culinary traditions.• Training under elite French, Danish, German, and Belgian chefs in London where 18-hour workdays were standard• Working in kitchens with fully-equipped showers because chefs lived so far from the restaurants• Transitioning from formal French cooking to a more accessible menu that Virginia Beach diners embraced• Creating menu staples like scallops Rockefel...2025-04-1148 min
Burnt Hands PerspectiveEp 31 - From Steakhouses to James Beard: Chef Thomas Melvin's Restaurant Evolution in IndySend us a textChef Thomas Melvin's culinary evolution represents the transformative power of rediscovering creativity after years of corporate style restaurant management. Chef Melvin shares how his journey through high-end steakhouses both built his technical foundation and temporarily dampened his creative spirit.We go behind the scenes of managing a 12-foot open flame grill during peak service, where two chefs might prepare 200+ steaks with precision across four temperature zones. Melvin's meticulous approach to quality control extended beyond cooking to sourcing, aging protocols, and maintaining consistency across multiple restaurant locations. This high-pressure environment taught him...2025-04-0429 min
Burnt Hands PerspectiveFood Sports: Inside the World Food Championships, the Super Bowl of Cooking CompetitionsSend us a textImagine a world where chefs finally get the recognition they deserve—where culinary professionals step onto a red carpet to thunderous applause instead of toiling away in hot kitchens for others' enjoyment. That's the revolution Mike McCloud started when he created the World Food Championships in 2012.In our conversation with the founder himself, we discover how a simple question—"Why is there not a Super Bowl for food?"—sparked a movement that's now transforming the culinary competition landscape. McCloud shares the raw, unfiltered story of building this platform from scratch, laughing about...2025-03-3120 min
Burnt Hands PerspectiveEp 30 - From Pungo to Premium Spirits: The woman behind Virginia Beach's iconic Orange Crush oceanfront restaurantsSend us a textFrom Pungo Strawberries, to Organic Vodka, to tractor-trailers of oranges and liquor – welcome to the world of Mariah Standing, Virginia Beach's homegrown spirits maven and the woman who helped transform how an entire coastline drinks.From humble beginnings growing up in Pungo's farmlands to building a beach empire with her husband Mike, Mariah shares the fascinating journey behind the restaurants and Waterman Spirits, Virginia's organic vodka. We dive deep into what makes her strawberry-infused vodka special – the 400 pounds of real berries in each batch and a commitment to authentic ingredients with "no s...2025-03-2840 minBurnt Hands PerspectiveEp 29 - One Entrepreneur's Mission to Elevate the 757 - From Nightclubs to Building Brands in VirginiaSend us a textThe path from nightclub owner at 19 to Wall Street trader to sake entrepreneur isn't exactly conventional, but Lynx proves that authentic hustle combined with unwavering purpose can create extraordinary outcomes.Growing up in Norfolk, Virginia, Lynx always had an entrepreneurial spirit. When opportunity knocked in the form of club ownership at just 19 years old, he transformed a punk rock venue into an upscale 25+ establishment despite not being old enough to drink himself. This early experience in hospitality would prove foundational as his career took unexpected turns.Without finishing college...2025-03-2145 min
Burnt Hands PerspectiveEp 28 - Thick Eats: Ethical Food Blogging - What makes a REAL Food Critic on Instagram?Send us a textThe true value of restaurant reviews comes from those who understand both sides of the dining experience. Local food blogger and influencer, Anthony from Thick Eats, joins Chef Tony and KC to discuss how his family's 37-year Lebanese restaurant business shaped his approach to food content creation for Instagram and beyond.Starting Thick Eats during the pandemic, Anthony set out with a clear purpose: to spotlight restaurants deserving attention rather than chasing trends. "I was seeing restaurants that I personally enjoyed struggling," he explains, describing his motivation to create content that g...2025-03-1443 min